Translate

Friday, 21 April 2017

Saturday, April 22, 2017 - Will you communicate Jesus’ healing touch to someone like he has communicated it to you?

Most scholars today regard
Mk 16:9-20 as an addition to the original ending of Mark at 16:8. A number of
reasons are put forward for this view. The first is that Mary Magdalene is
introduced in 16:9 as if she is being mentioned for the first time. However, Mark has mentioned her before (15:47; 16:1). Second, there is no
mention of a Galilean apparition in these verses, though one is explicitly
promised in 16:7. Third, these verses are a combination, in summary form, of
the post resurrection appearances of Jesus in the other Synoptic Gospels, in
John, and in the Acts of the Apostles.

The text of today begins by
narrating the appearance of the risen Lord to Mary Magdalene. Her witness is
not believed by those to whom she communicates this news. The next to witness
the risen Lord are two disciples as they were walking into the country. These,
too, were not believed. Jesus then appears to the eleven while they are at
table and first, upbraids them for their stubbornness and lack of faith and
then, makes them messengers and apostles of the good news to the whole world.

Even in the longer ending,
one of the main themes is the lack of faith on the part of the disciples.
Because of what they witnessed at the crucifixion, they had given up and felt
defeated. They had lost all hope and could not get themselves to believe that
God could make all things new. Yet, as he did in his life time, Jesus reaches
out to them even in their weakness and fear. Since he was able to accomplish
all that God wanted him to even when on the cross, he knew that God could
continue to accomplish his will even in his weak and frightened disciples.
Thus, while they are made aware of their fear, they are also challenged to go
beyond it, confident in the knowledge that Jesus himself would be with them.

Doubt is the friend of
faith; the enemy of faith is fear. However imperfect our faith, and however
many times we remain silent when we should testify to the gospel, we can always
return to the Lord. None of us can get so far away from Jesus that we cannot be
touched by God’s healing presence. Jesus continues to use each of us even in
our weakness to be his messengers of the good news that, in him, God loves
everyone.

About Me

There are four maxims I try to live by. The first is to ALWAYS have CHOICES about everything. The more choices I have, the less the chances of my being disappointed.
The Second is that I try to see my REWARD in the doing of the action itself. I will expect nothing from anyone in return and even expect the very ones I have helped to be ungrateful. It does not matter. I do not mind.
The third is that every stage in my life I try to KNOW where my authority ends. This saves a lot of bother. I am not the General Manager of the Universe. I do what I have to do and leave the rest to God.
The fourth is a readiness to face the consequences of my action. When I make a gaffe I am willing to rectify it and apologize. However, if it cannot be rectified I am ready to face the penalty.